Addressing hundreds of West Bank business and political leaders a day before the BP oil spill's anniversary, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he is focused squarely on the state's next major crisis: offsetting a $1.6 billion budget shortfall without sacrificing economic gains that have made Louisiana attractive to new businesses.

Saying the state has too often relied on raising taxes or expanding gambling to get out of previous financial jams, Jindal said it's time to make tough decisions on spending cuts.

"If we don't do it this year, we'll never do it," he told an audience of 850 at the 24th annual Governor's West Bank Luncheon today at the Alario Center. "I will veto any tax increase that gets to my desk. As long as I am governor, we're not raising taxes."

He cited a moral imperative to avoid passing along debt to future generations.

"I still believe in the American dream. I still believe our children can do better than us," he said. "But the only way to make that happen is to stop spending our children's money."

The governor touted his $24.9 billion budget proposal for 2011-12, which he said doesn't cut higher education and increases funding for public schools.

Jindal said education and job growth are key to plugging a demographic drain that has made Louisiana the only Southern state to lose residents over the past quarter century.

Jindal said raising taxes to resolve the budget crisis would reverse progress made in recent years as the state has muscled its way toward the top of several regional and national economic rankings.

He said the state's unemployment rate has been below the national and Southern averages every month for the past 3 1/2 years.

"The decisions we make now will determine whether we continue to outperform the rest of the region," he said.

The governor briefly reflected on the oil spill at the beginning of his half-hour speech, saying Wednesday's anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion is a chance for southeastern Louisiana to spread the word about the region's "great rebound, great rebirth."

The luncheon, organized by state Rep. Ricky Templet, R-Gretna, was sponsored by the Harvey Canal Industrial Association, the Jefferson Chamber, the Plaquemines Association of Business and Industry and the Algiers Economic Development Foundation.

Proceeds will benefit Cafe Hope, a Marrero restaurant that employs at-risk youths, providing them job experience and life-skills training. Templet said last year's luncheon raised $12,000 for the nonprofit.